![]() ![]() The crux of the progressive argument over funding for Iron Dome has more to do with timing and proportionality. Hoyer, D-Md., a key force for pushing the Iron Dome funding through. “There are some few who will not support this but the overwhelming majority of this Congress, not in a partisan way but in an American way, will support defending the democratic state of Israel,” said House Majority Leader Steny H. So when a few progressive members threatened to withhold their support for the spending measure, it was enough to prompt Democratic leaders - with their microscopic three-vote majority - to strip out the Iron Dome funding and offer it instead as a standalone measure. Republicans were already uniformly opposed to that continuing resolution. Ted Deutch.Įven as the funding ultimately passed the House and is expected to handily pass the Senate in some form in the days ahead, House Democratic leaders sparked a fight this week with some in their progressive wing when they tried to pass the $1 billion Israel aid package in the stopgap funding measure. Tlaib’s use of the word “apartheid” on the House floor to characterize Israel’s long-running occupation of the Palestinian territories was sharply criticized by Republicans and some Democrats, like Florida Rep. “We cannot be talking only about Israelis’ need for safety at a time when Palestinians are living under a violent apartheid system.” “I will not support an effort to enable and support war crimes, human rights abuses and violence,” Tlaib, who is Palestinian American, said in a floor speech Thursday. Israel’s Iron Dome was used successfully this spring during a period of fighting in the Gaza Strip to destroy over 90 percent of the approximately 4,000 rockets launched by Hamas into civilian-occupied areas of Israel. Only one Republican voted against the bill, libertarian-leaning Kentucky Rep. Grijalva provided the rare “no” vote from a Democrat in a leadership position. Hank Johnson, D-Ga.Īs chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Arizona Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., voted present along with Rep. ![]() The most high-profile member of the squad, Rep. Pressley of Massachusetts, as well as Cori Bush of Missouri and Marie Newman of Illinois, who both defeated more moderate Democrats in primaries last year. ![]() The opposing votes included well-known Democratic members of the progressive “squad,” such as Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna S. House Democratic leaders used the fast-track avenue after the funding had to be stripped from a stopgap spending bill after some progressives revolted. The bill to provide the funding to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system passed 420-9 under suspension of the rules, a process that allowed a quick floor vote given strong bipartisan support. The House on Thursday overwhelmingly passed legislation that would provide $1 billion in supplemental military assistance to Israel, but there were some notable Democrats in opposition. ![]()
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